Trudeau shuns Stampede amid ouster calls

Just when you thought Justin Trudeau ’s leadership mess couldn’t get any worse, here we go again. Fresh off a humiliating byelection loss, Trudeau’s now ducking out of the Calgary Stampede.

Last year, he got booed like crazy there, so now he’s avoiding it like the plague. But skipping the Stampede just shines a big spotlight on the growing chaos in his own party.

His own MPs are practically shouting for him to quit. Nathaniel Erskine-Smith is even calling for a confidence vote to kick Trudeau out. It’s a bold move straight at Trudeau’s shaky authority.

Other Liberal MPs are saying Trudeau’s days are numbered. Those boos from last year were just the start of the revolt he’s facing now.

After losing touch with Canadians and blowing a major byelection in Toronto, Trudeau’s getting heat from all sides. People are mad at him from coast to coast, and he can’t show his face without getting heckled.

Even friendly media types are saying Trudeau’s gotta go after steering the Liberal ship into an iceberg. With the next election creeping closer, Trudeau is hoping to avoid another round of boos, but running away won’t stop the MPs from turning on him. 

Liberals Rage After Byelection Bust

Justin Trudeau has decided to skip the iconic Calgary Stampede this year, according to an email from the PMO that Politico’s “Ottawa Playbook” got a hold of. This comes right after a humiliating byelection loss in Toronto-St. Paul’s, a former Liberal stronghold, and growing calls from within his own party for him to step down.

It looks like Trudeau’s scared of facing angry Western Canadians after losing touch with the Prairie provinces. So, he has decided to avoid the “schmoozefest” and “celebration of western culture” altogether. When Playbook asked for confirmation, the PMO dodged the question, neither denying nor admitting Trudeau’s plans to skip the Stampede.

This isn’t surprising given the PM’s habit of hiding from controversy and avoiding the media since the shocking byelection loss just over a week ago. After dancing at Pride events in Toronto and Asian festivals in Markham, Trudeau quickly left without taking questions from reporters. Even on Canada Day, he only took questions from a friendly CBC interviewer instead of facing the press corps.

While Trudeau keeps saying he’ll stay on as Liberal leader, his actions tell a different story. Skipping the Stampede is just the latest move from a weakened Trudeau who knows his leadership is on shaky ground.

Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre is gearing up for a busy schedule meeting donors, supporters, and MLAs. Meanwhile, Trudeau can’t even find the courage to flip pancakes in Calgary. Poilievre is set to be greeted by enthusiastic crowds, while Trudeau hides from the boos and hostility he knows he’ll face at the Stampede.

Trudeau’s avoidance of the West is part of a bigger issue – he’s completely out of touch with Western Canada. After canceling pipelines, hurting the oil and gas sector with his policies, and ignoring Prairie priorities, it’s no surprise he’s unwelcome in Alberta. 

Even his own Liberal MP, George Chahal, who Trudeau once praised as an “incredible voice for Calgarians,” is now calling for his resignation.

Skipping the Stampede speaks volumes about Trudeau’s shaky grip on leadership. This isn’t just about dodging one event; it shows how he’s lost the confidence of Canadians and his own MPs. A leader who avoids facing the people is a leader who can’t lead the nation.

Trudeau’s declining popularity isn’t limited to traditional Conservative Alberta either. Even in longtime Liberal bastions, anger is growing over Trudeau’s failed leadership. The Toronto-St. Paul’s byelection loss was a major warning sign of eroding support in Liberal strongholds across Canada.

Even his Canada Day message showed how out of touch he really is, tossing out feel-good words but offering zero solutions for the challenges our country is facing because of him. 

Trudeau leadership in crisis mode

As former Liberal MP Jody Wilson-Raybould declared that Trudeau must resign as party leader. 

Catherine McKenna, Trudeau’s former minister of climate change, also cited the byelection loss in calling for Trudeau’s resignation, stating “It’s time for new ideas, new energy and a new leader. There’s too much at stake in this election, especially on the economy.”

Make no mistake, the Toronto-St. Paul’s upset reveals a deeper discontent bubbling underneath Trudeau’s smiling PR veneer. After nine years of scandals, unaffordability, and increasingly radical policies, lifelong Liberal voters are questioning their support.

As MP Chandra Arya explained in an X post: “In my view [Trudeau] has taken [the] party and the government too far left of centre.” 

He went on to say the prime minister and his team “have made several wrong policy/strategic choices” over the years.

Grassroots Liberals are getting uneasy with Trudeau’s shift to the left and his out-of-touch elitism. This discontent started when he went ultra-woke, focusing more on identity politics than on everyday issues that matter to people.

With inflation and the cost of living soaring, things have only gotten worse. Housing, groceries, gas, and other basics are becoming unaffordable, making Trudeau’s promises about affordability seem empty. He says he cares about average Canadians, but his policies are making life harder for them.

Sensing his weakened leadership, internal grumblings have turned into open rebellion. The Toronto byelection seems to have been the last straw for many in the Liberal ranks.

Losing one of the safest Liberal seats in the country has made many MPs and power brokers realize that Trudeau’s leadership is jeopardizing their own political futures. They’re now in survival mode.

As the Toronto Star summed up, “Justin Trudeau’s political career is over. He can walk away with dignity now or stick around to get creamed by a man he loathes.” Walking away gracefully is clearly not Trudeau’s style. But make no mistake, the Liberal knives are out for their fallen leader.  

And you know it’s really bad when Trudeau’s favorite mainstream media, his go-to source for misinformation and PR defense, is calling for his resignation.

MP Nathaniel Erskine-Smith has urged putting Trudeau’s leadership to a confidence vote among Liberal members. He said in a video posted on X: “Let’s have members, activists, organizers and grassroots donors across the country decide.” 

MP Wayne Long publicly broke ranks demanding Trudeau resign for the good of the party and country. Insiders expect more MPs to follow suit.

Long boldly said: “For the future of our party and for the good of our country, we need new leadership and a new direction,

“The voters have spoken loud and clear they want change. I agree.”

The pressure is really mounting, and it’s clear Trudeau’s losing his grip on his own party. Staying in power means keeping the MPs on his side, and with them openly calling for change, it’s obvious his leadership days are numbered.

The Stampede snub is the perfect symbol of Trudeau’s downfall. With no loyalty from his party and fading public support, hiding from the spotlight is all he’s got left. But Canadians deserve better than a PM who’s hiding from everyone, including his own team.

The Liberal coalition is falling apart mainly because of Trudeau’s elitist arrogance and ideological overreach. It’s time for a new leader who can actually connect with Canadians and address their real problems. Trudeau is just not that guy.

The right move now, before things get even more humiliating, is for Trudeau to resign. He shouldn’t push the patience of Canadians and his own party any further.